Splice and sectional insulator



z GRASS.

SPLICE AND SECTIONAL INSULATOR.

APPUCATION FILED 00131, 1921.

1,420,5 1; 1 I V Patented June 20; 1922 INVENTOR ATTORNEY ZACK GRASS, or HnrnnanEN'rncxY;

Specification of Letters Patent.

'- I SPLICE AND SECTIONAL INSULATOR. f

Patented Ju e 20,1922.

Application filed October 31, 1921. Serial No. 511,794.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ZAoK -GRASS, a citizenof the United States, residing at Heiner, in the county of Perry and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improve'ments in Splice and Sectional Insulators, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention comprehends the provision of a trolley wire splice and sectional insulator, with the parts so constructed that wires of different gauge can be associated with each other independently of the said insulator, or with the opposed ends of the latter as desired.

More specifically stated, the invention templates the provision of a number of splices designed to accommodate different size wires, each spliceincl'uding separable sections designed for interfitting association,so that any two sections can be easily and conveniently joined together to splice any two wires of the desired gauge; the splice section being also designed so that any two sections can be coupled to the sectional insulator to join to the opposed ends thereof, any combination of different gauge wires. In mines, when a trolley wire is extended to a certain point, the surplus length of wire is usually bent in such a manner as to prohibit its subsequent use in connection with a splice, thus necessitating cutting. of the wire at a point to permit of use of a splice, with a resultant loss or waste of a particular length of wire. It is therefore a further object of the invention to prevent this waste by designing a section splice, whereby either section can be coupled to the surplus wire and a turn buckle that. is usually employed in' coal mines at the end of all trolley wires, with out bending the wire, so that when addi tional wire is required itcan be connected with the other section of the splice and the two complemental sections subsequently joined. In carrying out the invention, I also mount a switch on the' insulated section of said insulator, and connect the switch with the 'metallic sections of the insulator by wires which can be quicklyassociated with or removed from said parts when desired.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing,

the invention residing in the construction,

combination and arrangement of'parts as claimed. i In the drawing, forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and where- Figurel-is a side elevationof the-sectional insulator,"showing'the latter associated with the sections of a splice.

Figure 2-,-is a top'plan view.

Figure 3.is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure l. Y j

Figure 4is a fragmentary perspective view of the splice sections separated.

Figure 5 isa view showing the'manner of connecting one section of a splice with the turn buckle at one end of the wire as above referred to Figure 6-is--a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 2.

Referring tothe drawing'in'detail, A indicates generally the sectional insulator which includes an insulated portion 10 constructed of any suitable material, and metallic end portions 11 and '11 respectively, The

former is provided with a slot 12, while the end portion 11' is formed with a tongue 13 which projects from the end thereof as shown. association of the splice sections with the in- This construction permits of the I sulator in a manner tobe hereinafter described.

As above stated, the invention contemciated by means of fastening elements 18 the heads of which are counter-sunk in the section 14 to lie flush or substantially so with the exterior thereof, Each section of the splice is provided with a longitudinal bore 19' for the reception of the wire, and the wire is held in said bore in any suitable man: ner, preferably by fastening elements of the character indicated at 20. Manifestly, the wires to be spliced are inserted within the bores of the respective sections 14 and 15 of the splice, and secured therein after which the respective sections are joined totogether, which results in the saving of both time and labor. In addition to splicing the wires independently of the sectional insulator above described, the respective sections of the splice by reason of their construction are capable of being associated with the opposed ends of the insulator in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2. Again, any twosections of any particular splice can be associated with the sectional insulator so that the latter may be coupled with wires of different gauge.v For instance, it it is desired to use a 4/0 splice at one side of the insulator, one section of a splice of this character is associated with-the insulator, while a 2/0 splice may be coupled with the opposite end of the insulator in the manner illustrated. The section 14 of the splice which is. provided with a slot 16 receives the tongue 13 of the section 11 of the insulator, whilethe tongue of the section 15 of the splice is positionedwithin the slot 12 of the metallic section 11 of the insulator- Consequently, the invention provides for the splicing or joining together any two wires of any desired gauge, either independently of the sectional insulator, or the coupling of these wires with the opposed ends of the insulator.

As hereinabove stated, it is the common practice in mines to extend a trolley wire to a particular point, and subsequently bend the surplus wire about that point in a manner which prohibits its use in connection with a splice. However, with the present in vention, one section 15 of the splice can be used to prevent bending of this surplus wire, by placing the splice upon the end of the wire and securing it in place by the fastening means 19 in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. This particular section of the splice is then connected to a turn buckle, one part of which is indicated at 21 in Figure '1 it being understood that such turn buckles are used in coal mines at the end of all trolley wires. This connect-ion between the section 15 of the splice and the turn buckle is carried out by the use of two metallic plates 22 which are suitably bolted or otherwise secured to the tongue 17 of the splice section 15, the plates receiving therebetween the eye 24 of that part of the turn buckle illustrated. A pin or the like is then passed through the plates and the eye to hold the parts associated as illustrated in Figure 5. Manifcstly, if the use of an additional wire is required, this additional length of wire is associated with the complemental section 14: of the splice (not shown) in Figure 5, which complemental section is joined to the section 15 in the usual manner, after the section 15 has been separated from the turn buckle.

In this manner, waste of the wire is eliminated, resulting from cutting the wire at the point from which it is bent in the manner above described, so that the straight end of the wire can be suitably joined at one section of the splice.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an electric switch indicated generally at B is mounted upon the insulated portion 10 of the insulator, and this switch is connected to the metallie end portions 11 and 11 by means of wires 25. The corresponding terminals of the wires are connected to the binding posts 26 of the switch, while the other ends of the wires are received by openings 27 provided in the metallic end sections 11 and 11', and secured therein by suitable fastening elements 28. The construction is such that these wires can be quickly associated with their co-operating parts, or removed therefrom as the occasion may require. ,7

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, thev nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I

desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim is 1. In combination, asectional insulator, a plurality of wire splices provided for different gauge wires, and each splice including separable sections designed for interfitting association with each other or with the opposed ends of said insulator for the purpose specified.

2. In combination, a sectional insulator including metallic end sections and an interit mediate insulating section, a wire splice including separable interfitting sections, and said end sections of the insulator being designed for interfitting association with the splice sections for the purpose specified.

3. In combination, a sectional insulator in eluding metallic endsections and an intermediate insulating section, a wire splice embodying separable sections designed for in terfitting association with each other, or with the end section of insulator, a switch mounted on said intermediate insulating section, and wires detaehably connected with said switch and said metallic end sections.

47. In combination, a sectional insulator having a slot at one end, a tongue projecting from the opposite end thereof, a wire splice including separable sections having tongue and groove connection, and said sections being designed for association with'the ends of said insulator for the purpose specified.

ZACK GRASS. 

